Who Needs Friends?
by biochemist
Summary: AU. Quiet, antisocial Kouji is confronted with a problem when the new guy, Takuya, insists on becoming his friend. Takouji discontinued for the time being
1. Introduction

Disclaimer: Don't own Frontier. Blech! 

So, I'm actually going to write a romantic chapter fic for Frontier. Woo... finally. This is the prologue... Short but important to the future of the fic. 

Warnings: None yet. It will be Takouji later though, so don't start reading if you don't like shounen ai. 

-- 

_Why go back to school after the summer? All the time I spent tactfully avoiding phone calls and public run ins with people from that horrid place, wasted. _

Some spend their entire summer break with friends, going to parties and hanging out. Others, like me, prefer to spend the break at home, letting the answering machine pick up the calls and leaving only for the essentials... like food, water, and toilet paper. 

So, returning for yet another year of undeserved torture... 

Minamoto Kouji sighed as he pulled on his shirt, all of his normal first day of school thoughts running through his head. Once again, he had dodged anyone who may have wanted to hang out with him over the summer. But, as always, this would go to waste as he returned to school on this bright, cheerful morning. 

Glancing at the clock as he finished dressing, Kouji mentally swore. At this rate, he was going to be late and end up sitting next to one of the loud mouths, like Izumi. Cringing at the thought of the chattery girl, he quickly tied his bandana and ran for the door. Without so much as a good-bye, he had pulled on his shoes and bolted out the door. 

- 

Heaving, Kouji stepped onto the school grounds, glad he had made it in time. He looked around as he slowed to a walk. Across the yard, standing near the doors, were Shibayama Junpei and Orimoto Izumi. As Kouji approached the entrance, the glares they were giving him grew clearer. 

_Please don't talk to me. Please don't talk to me, Kouji prayed silently,_ hoping he could just make it into the building without having to exchange words with the pair. 

Izumi and Junpei sneered, but didn't say anything as he passed. Entering the building, he headed straight for his homeroom. 

Upon walking in, Kouji was surprised to find that some other guy had beat him there. 

_He must be new. No matter, I'll just sit by the windows. He'll get the picture,_ he thought, making his way down the row of desks to the back seat next to the windows. 

As he leaned back, closing his eyes, Kouji heard shifting then footsteps. He cracked one eye to see that the new guy was seating himself in the desk next to his own. Before Kouji had a chance to close his eye, the smiling goggle-headed boy began talking. 

"Hi," he stated, waving, "I'm Kanbara Takuya. I'm new here!" 

As Kouji opened his eyes and pulled himself into an upright position, Takuya continued talking. 

"I'm seventeen and I have a younger brother and a bike and I like pie..." 

Kouji turned to face the front of the classroom and sighed. It was going to be a long school year. 

-- 

Okay, I know... it's short and rather plotless. But I needed to write something to introduce the characters and the setting they would be in... 

The whole dislike issue between Junpei and Izumi and Kouji will be explained later. And Kouichi will be making an appearance, probably for quite an important role, later also. Sorry to the Tomoki fans... he won't be in here unless I find some weird way to fit him in. 

So, review so I can continue... ^_^ 


	2. Chapter 1, woo!

Disclaimer: Still don't own Frontier... 

Sorry... this fic may be a little slow with updates. Just a warning... but don't worry, I do plan on finishing it... 

Warnings: Still nothing. But just wait... ^_~ 

-- 

Takuya was silenced, not soon enough for Kouji, as the rest of the class trickled in and the teacher motioned for them to listen. 

"Welcome to the new school year. I'm Miss -- yes? You have a question?" 

"Have you ever wondered what it would be like if those little lizards -- the ones that get into people's houses -- were carnivorous?" Takuya was standing by his desk, looking around at his classmates and teacher expectantly. A silence took over he room, allowing this question to sink in for everyone. 

Recovering first, Izumi looked back at Takuya and giggled. The rest of the class, excluding Kouji, joined in, laughing at Takuya's apparent ignorance. He scratched the back of his head and sat down, avoiding the weird looks his peers were giving him. 

"Well, if there are no more questions, we'll begin." 

The morning continued without a hitch, moving the school day on to lunch. As his classmates headed out to meet with friends from other classes, Kouji took out his lunch and remained in his seat. 

_I have no desire to try to make friends with people I don't like,_ he thought, opening his lunch and putting it down on his desk. He looked out the window, watching a groups of girls sit in the yard and talk over lunch. 

"Whacha lookin' at?" Kouji jumped at the sound of the chirpy voice beside him, turning to see who it was. Takuya was grinning down at him, holding his own lunch. 

"Nothing," he replied shortly, returning his attention to his food. 

"Why aren't you out there?" Takuya asked. As Kouji sat in silence, refusing to answer, he grabbed his desk and pulled it over, putting about a foot between himself and Kouji. He sat down and looked over at his quiet companion. 

"So? Going to answer my question?" 

"No. I didn't plan on it," Kouji returned, finally looking up to give Takuya a glare. As unsettling silence followed, both boys taking the chance to eat. After Takuya cast three or four curious glances at Kouji, the silence was broken. 

"Why?" was the only word Kouji said. 

"Why what?" Takuya questioned, turning his full attention to Kouji. 

"Why are you trying to be buddy-buddy with me? Why aren't you out there yourself?" 

Takuya looked at his feet, scratching the back of his head. 

"Well?" Kouji demanded, crossing his arms and staring at Takuya. 

"Well... everybody laughed at me earlier, so I figured I should probably just try to lie low for a while, try to not make myself look like more of an idiot to them. Plus, you seemed kind of lonely. So, I decided I'm going to be your friend," Takuya replied, grinning again. 

Kouji sighed in frustration. He gathered the trash he had on his desk and stood up, choosing to ignore Takuya's last comment. 

"So, my name is Kanbara Takuya, as I said this morning. What's yours?" The question was left hanging as Kouji crossed the room to the garbage can. 

"His name is Minamoto Kouji," came a voice from the doorway. "And I'm Kimura Kouichi, his brother." 

Kouji glimpsed over at his brother, who smiled at him. 

"Thanks. Kouji, huh? Who are you so quiet? Do you have any friends here?" Takuya inquired as he watched Kouji from the back of the room. 

_Ugh... damn Kouichi for telling him my name,_ Kouji thought angrily. He continued to mentally insult his twin rather than answer Takuya. 

Before Takuya had the chance to ask any more questions, the class began to file back in. He moved his desk back to its normal place and cleared his desktop. 

Kouichi grinned as he left the classroom. 

_Someone has finally taken an interest in Kouji. Maybe he'll finally come out of his shell and make some friends,_ he thought happily, hoping Takuya could help his antisocial brother become more of a people-person. 

- 

The rest of the day passed be quite slowly for Kouji. Every time he looked up he would catch Takuya staring at him, as if he were still waiting for answers to his questions. 

At the end of the day, he was nearly the first person out of the school. Avoiding the annoying Kanbara boy was his number one priority. He figured he would stop by Kouichi's house later to tell him off for blurting out his name. 

Kouji jogged the first block or so, turned a corner, then continued home at a slower pace. 

_Good, he didn't follow me. But I have to deal with this guy for a whole year. And he doesn't seem like someone that is easily deterred, judging by those prying questions he insisted on asking,_ Kouji contemplated. He thought about his situation the rest of the way home, coming up with a fairly decent solution as he entered his yard. 

"If I just let him hover around me for a while, he'll get bored and move on. I'm sure he won't stick around me for too long," Kouji told himself as he entered his house and kicked off his shoes. He walked into his room, imagining just how fast he could get Takuya to leave him alone. 

-- 

Hope this was better than the first part... bringing in a little plot this time. It's starting off rather slow but it should progress faster in a chapter or two, because I won't be going day by day for long. 

Kouichi fans... he'll be in this fic a bit more than I had originally planned. ^_^ I'm a Kouichi fan myself, so I couldn't hold him out for too long. And sorry if he seems a bit out of character o_o;; He'll get better with time, I promise! 


	3. Chapter 2

Disclaimer: Yet again... I don't own Frontier. 

Yep... next chapter is up. And it's over 1,000 words! Joy!! 

Warnings: Still nothing... sorry! Don't worry. Next chapter... expect something here. 

-- 

After much thought, Kouji decided that he would go all out for his plan. He was going to answer all of Takuya's annoying questions with the most boring responses he could think of. 

_I'll be so dull that he won't want to be around me outside of school,_ Kouji had reminded himself as he entered the school that morning. 

The plan didn't really get rolling until lunch. Kouji stayed in class, just like the previous day, and Takuya insisted on joining him. 

"So, are you in a better mood today?" came the first question. Kouji nodded in reply, having just taken a bite of his sandwich. 

"Much better," he said once he had finished chewing. Takuya grinned. 

"Good. I told you about myself yesterday. How about you talk today?" he suggested. 

_I knew this was coming,_ Kouji mentally sighed as he turned to Takuya. 

"Okay... let's see. I'm Minamoto Kouji. I'm seventeen. I have a twin brother who I do not live with. And I do not like pie." 

Takuya laughed at the last statement, remembering that he had described himself as a pie eater. 

"Come on. That's stuff that I knew all ready. Except for the not living with your brother... and the pie thing. How can you not like pie? Everybody likes pie," Takuya rambled. "Don't you have any pets? Who do you live with if you don't live in the same place as your brother? What kind of music do you like? And what do you do in your free time?" 

Kouji stared for a moment before answering. "Well, I had a dog once. But I think he ran away. Or he died. I'm not sure. I was a kid and I came home from school one day and he was gone. That's all I remember as far as pets go. 

"I live with our dad and stepmom. Kouichi lives with our mom. It's been like that... forever. We didn't even know about each other until we were about twelve. 

"I don't listen to music too much, but when I do, it's usually rock. In my free time, I play video games and sleep. Not much more than that." 

Takuya nodded, listening to Kouji attentively. When the reply ceased, Takuya continued watching Kouji. 

"What?" Kouji asked, looking Takuya dead on. 

"Why are you so... unsocial?" Kouji glanced down, considering the question. 

_Why am I so antisocial? I don't really have a reason. Just that I never had a bunch of friends, and it never bothered me. So why am I questioning it now?_ he thought. 

"I've just never had many friends. I talk to Kouichi, but I guess he doesn't count considering he's family and all," he replied, rubbing the back of his neck. _ Why did I tell him that? Now he's going to think I'm a freak. And when did I start caring what people like him thought of me anyway? Argh... this is really beginning to piss me off._

Takuya stared at Kouji, who looked like he was having a mental breakdown, then put his hand on his shoulder. 

"Don't flip out. I've never had many friends either. People usually take their first impression of me and go with that, using it as a reason to ignore me," Takuya comforted, patting Kouji's shoulder. 

"Their first impression?" Takuya removed his hand and laughed. 

"Yeah. What was your first impression of me?" Kouji didn't reply. 

"Come on, you can tell me. I'm sure it's no worse than most of the reactions I get. I've been tagged as loud, obnoxious, dumb, annoying, stupid... and that's only to name some of the nicer ones." 

"My first thought were that you were annoying and really forward," Kouji confessed. Takuya grinned at him. 

"Wow, that 'really forward' thing could almost be taken as a compliment if it weren't coming from someone as serious as you." Takuya's grin widened at the look on Kouji's face. 

Unfortunately, Kouji was not given the chance to reply. The class was coming back and Takuya had moved off to clean his desk top. He sighed and cleaned his own desk off, trying to rid his mind of the fact that he opened up so easily to Takuya. 

- 

"So, I take it the plan isn't going perfectly after all?" Kouichi asked. He had heard Kouji's plan the night before and, even though he didn't approve of it, agreed to stay out of it. 

"No, it isn't. He didn't look bored at all. I'm not that interesting of a person. I told him way too much. Why does he want to know all that anyway? Does he have it out for me?" Kouji sighed and lowered his head. They walked on in silence for a minute before Kouichi spoke up again. 

"I would hardly say that he has it out for you. He just wants to get to know you. Is that really so bad?" Silence. "And you aren't as boring as you think you are. You'd be surprised how interesting other people find you to be... and how interesting you could find others." 

With that, Kouichi turned down a side street and headed toward his house. Kouji watched his brother for a moment before continuing on to his own home. 

- 

The next two weeks continued like that. Kouji and Takuya talking through lunch. Kouji updating Kouichi on their walk home. Kouichi suggesting that Kouji should just get to know Takuya. And Kouji shooting down this idea, then tossing and turning half the night because of said idea. 

- 

"Hey, can somebody pass me the three hole punch?" Takuya called to the front of the room. It passed over a few heads and arrived at his desk. "Thanks." 

"I need that. Don't pass it back up yet," Kouji told him as he punched holes in a few dozen worksheets that he had been neglecting. 

"Here ya go, buddy," Takuya said happily, holding out the device to Kouji. Rather than look up, Kouji just reached out for it. He was surprised when he felt it tugged from his hand as soon as he tried to pull it away. 

"Come on, Kanbara. Just give it to me," he sighed, holding out his hand. 

"Okay, okay." Takuya put one end of the hole puncher in Kouji's hand. As he tried to take it, Kouji felt Takuya yank at it again. Kouji pulled, Takuya pulled, and it ended in a mass flurry of little dots of paper. 

- 

"I'm sorry. I didn't realize she would make us clean the whole classroom," Takuya apologized as he swept more of the little circles toward the front of the room. 

"Well, there was a lot of paper in that thing. Who knew that the tray could hold so much?" Kouji wondered, dumping more paper circles into the trash can. 

"You know, I'm glad I'm cleaning with you," Takuya said as he picked up the last of the trash. 

"Why?" Kouji glanced over at Takuya. 

"Because we're friends now. And I haven't had anybody to hang out with in a long time. Even if this 'hanging out' does involve cleaning." 

Kouji didn't respond. _We're friends?_

"Hey! Are you doing anything this weekend? Because if you aren't busy, you could come over. Or you could show me around town or something. I am new here, after all," Takuya suggested excitedly. 

"Uhh... I'll check," Kouji answered. 

As they left the school, Takuya rambled on about what they could do over the weekend. 

What have I gotten myself into? Kouji asked himself, sighing once again. 

-- 

Okay... whew. That took a little bit too long to get out. So I'm aiming to update sooner next time. 

Junpei and Izumi will probably return next chapter or the one after, depending on how long I end up making the weekend scene... 

Kouichi... is practical. I hope he isn't too... unKouichi-like. -_-;; 


End file.
